Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews refused to disclose the nature of his injury when speaking at the team’s locker cleanout day Tuesday.
“It was tough, definitely, physically,” Matthews said, per TSN. “Very tough season. I don’t need to get into the specifics of stuff, but I got injured in training camp. Obviously, I wasn’t feeling great throughout the first month or so of the season. Took some time off, went to Germany, did all these things to try to feel better, then get in a place I felt like I could manage it.”
When asked if the injury affected his ability to shoot the puck, Matthews responded: “I think it impacted a lot of different things, for sure.”
Matthews saw his production drop significantly this season, scoring just 33 goals on 261 shots compared to 69 goals on 369 shots in 2023-24.
The 27-year-old center played only 67 games and traveled to Germany for specialized treatment during the season.
Matthews confirmed he won’t need surgery and expects to be fully healthy for training camp.
During the playoffs, the Leafs star skipped certain practices to manage his condition. He finished with three goals and eight assists in Toronto’s 13-game postseason run.
The Maple Leafs built a 2-0 series lead against the defending champion Florida Panthers in the second round before losing four of the final five games. Florida dominated Game 7 with a 6-1 victory.
The defeat marked the seventh consecutive winner-take-all game loss for Matthews and the Maple Leafs.
“This one stings the most,” Matthews said, according to Sportsnet’s Luke Fox.
